How Many Lamps Should I Have for a Home Tanning Bed?

Thanks to modern technology, fans of sunless tanning can now skip the studio and tan in the comfort and privacy of their own homes. If you’re thinking of investing in a residential tanning system, you may have wondered how many lamps you need to get a salon quality tan at home.

Most tanning beds designed for home use are equipped with 12, 16, 24 or 26 lamps, evenly divided between the canopy and bench.

In general, increasing the number of lamps reduces tanning times. A bed with fewer lamps will still deliver the same great results, but it will take longer to get there. The only possible problem that may occur in a bed with too few lamps is striping. This shouldn’t be an issue as long as the lamps are fitted with reflectors to guarantee an even distribution of UV.

A few things to consider before choosing a home tanning system:

Goals and Time Investment

In order to find the right at-home tanning solution, you’ll need to ask yourself a few questions. Are you hoping to keep your tan looking great with touch-up sessions between studio visits, build a base, or do all of your tanning at home? How much free time do you have to devote to tanning?

Comfort and Convenience

Many people find larger beds with wider benches to be more comfortable, while petite individuals are often fine in narrower, entry-level beds. Portable canopies make it possible to tan while relaxing on a bed or couch.

Space Requirements

In larger houses or home gyms, finding space for your tanning system probably won’t be an issue. In an apartment or small house, you may choose to purchase a smaller bed, a stand-up tanning booth, or a portable canopy that can be stored upright in a closet until ready for use.

Tanning History/Skin Type

If you decide to tan at home, you’ll be solely responsible for your tanning sessions. If you are new to indoor tanning or very fair skinned, you may want to limit your session times or consider a less powerful bed with fewer lamps. Always follow the recommended tanning guidelines for your skin type.

Cost

Breaking into indoor tanning also means finding a system that suits your needs without breaking your budget. One way to save money is to choose a tanning bed with fewer bulbs. Lamp replacement costs for home tanning systems are usually minimal compared to professional beds because of lower relative use.

Home Tanning Options from ProSun

The ProSun line of home tanning equipment offers a variety of alternatives to suit any budget, achieve any goal and fit any schedule. All ProSun home tanning products use the same high quality ProTech lamps that we install in our professional models and include built-in reflectors to guarantee smooth, even, stripe-free tanning.

Jade

A salon-quality bed suitable for high-end home use, the Jade by ProSun is available in two models equipped with either 24 or 26 ProTech professional tanning lamps and offers maximum session times of either 30 or 20 minutes. As with all tanning systems, session times will depend on the user’s established base tan and skin type.

Azure

The streamlined Azure has a curved canopy and bench to allow smooth, comfortable, full-body tanning and makes a seamless addition to most homes. Developed by the industry experts at ProSun, the Azure is available in 16, 20 or 24-lamp models that provide professional tans at home in sessions of up to 30 minutes.

Sundream

For tanners on a budget or apartment dwellers who are short on space, the portable Sundream by ProSun is your at-home tanning solution. The Sundream 12C includes 12 110-wat tanning bulbs in a swiveling canopy that allows you to tan target areas while relaxing in bed or on the couch.

The Sundream is also available with 24 lamps divided equally between the canopy and bench to provide faster, convenient dual-sided tanning at home.